Pet poll

[Jay Honeck]

We are struggling with our pet policy at the hotel, and hope you guys can give us some insight on what to do. We love dogs -- we own and love one -- but it is rapidly becoming a major PIA allowing animals into our hotel.

Please vote in the following poll, and any comments you may have are welcome.

Thanks!

 

[murphey]

Jay

How about another option on the poll - Don't travel with pet.

As much as I love (?) my dog, I don't travel with him other than day trips. When I'm out of town it's usually business, so he's at the kennel. Even non-business trips, he goes to the kennel. For me, much simpler because I don't have to worry about hotels, walking him, leaving him in the car (absolutely NOT!), and so on.

2009 trip to Oshkosh, I'm sure he was more comfortable than I was. He was in an airconditioned "hotel", room serice, played with his friends all day, got lots of tummy rubs from the staff, cookies every afternoon, etc.

Me? I was in a miserable dorm with no A/C, eating at the field, blisters, etc.

 

[Ted]

I don't bring my pets along with me. For one, they're too big for it to be convenient. For two, it is a hassle for them, for me, and for the hotel. Although much of that has to do with the nature of my typical travels. However, even when flying our own plane, we don't take the dogs on trips to see family.

You might want to consider having a pet fee like many other hotels do if you'd like to keep letting pets visit. That helps compensate for extra cleaning. Include in your policy that any damage done by the pet must also be covered. Given that your hotel is more of a resort type, it's probably more the sort that people would bring their pets to.

 

[Jay Honeck]

Jay

How about another option on the poll - Don't travel with pet.

Well, that's sort of a different, but related, issue. I'm with you, but that's just us...maybe?

What I'm looking for is hotel preference based on pet-friendliness. Obviously if you travel with your pet, it is going to be essential to find a pet-friendly hotel.

However, if you DON'T travel with your pet, do you actively AVOID hotels that are pet-friendly?

In the end, I'm trying to discern if being pet-friendly actually drives non-pet owners AWAY at a greater rate than it attracts pet owners. Obviously if this is the case, being pet-friendly is not only a huge PIA, it's actually costing me business. I have no good way to measure a negative, however; thus, the poll.

 

[JOhnH]

How many requests do you get from people wanting to bring their pet?

I suggest selecting just a few rooms that will accommodate pets. Make sure they have access to a place they guest can walk them and provide bags for the poop. You might want to put up a fake camera and tell people if they don't clean up they will be caught and charged $100/incident.

Collect a fairly large but refundable damage deposit.
Also charge a non-refundable extra cleaning fee. This will also be used to replace the carpets more often and to treat for fleas.

The larger the pet the larger the deposit.

REQUIRE proof that the owner has purchased a flea preventative. If they bought it 6 months ago, they better have bought enough to last 6 months. You will have to take their word that they actually used it.

Require a valid Rabies certificate with the description of the pet. A tag is insufficient because you can move it from pet to pet.

Inform them, and get their consent, that you have permission to enter the room to check on the pet. Include in this consent a waiver of liability if the pet escapes when you enter.

Which ever option you choose, you are going to alienate somebody.

 

[Jay Honeck]

You might want to consider having a pet fee like many other hotels do if you'd like to keep letting pets visit. That helps compensate for extra cleaning. Include in your policy that any damage done by the pet must also be covered. Given that your hotel is more of a resort type, it's probably more the sort that people would bring their pets to.

That is our policy. The fee is $25/pet, per night. This covers cleaning costs, barely.

The issue of damage is extremely delicate and awkward. I have had dogs reduce the door trim to feathers, digging at it for hours. However, this can happen incrementally, and is often overlooked by a housekeeper. Then, six months later, I might notice it. Whom do I charge?

A much bigger problem is pet behavior. We have had people dump their dog in the room and go to the bars. They *think* their dog is an angel, and *never* barks -- but guess what? An animal in a strange place is unpredictable, and might bark every time another guest passes the door. Then I have the guests on either side complaining, and what do I do?

Because of this we now have a VERY strict pet policy that requires the pet owner to give us a phone number where they can be reached, and they must sign an agreement that they will immediately return to the hotel and control their pet in the event of noise complaints. Although this seems like common sense, to me, this policy has garnered us a nasty review on TripAdvisor as being "unfriendly" and "unwelcoming".

Further, we only place pets in our oldest rooms (for reasons that should be obvious), and THAT, too, has garnered a nasty comment on-line.

So, I'm about to chuck the whole pet-friendly policy out the window, and tell 'em all to go sleep on the beach. Holding me back is the simple fact that Mary and I love dogs, and hate to "throw the baby out with the bathwater" because of one idiot.

Thus, the poll. I fear that barking dogs may cost us more business than our pet-friendly policy will ever gain us. If this is the case, obviously being pet friendly is just stupid.

 

[N747JB]

I don't travel with our dogs, except to our condo at the beach. But, I don't avoid pet friendly hotels, I just don't see many that are pet friendly when I am booking. For the record most of my travels are with a car dealer group that insists on staying are 4 star+ places.

 

[Ghery]

Our cats stay at home when we travel. I can't say that I even look to see if a place is or is not pet friendly. I can certainly understand why you might want to prohibit them. They can cause significant damage and upset other guests. I don't care if they are present or not, but others might. Good luck with this one.

 

[Jay Honeck]

For the record most of my travels are with a car dealer group that insists on staying are 4 star+ places.

Which always makes me wonder: By whose definition?

For example, if you read the AAA rules on "stars" (or diamonds), they don't allow a hotel to be above 2 diamonds if they don't have full-length mirrors in the rooms, or if they don't have elevators.

Thus, by using your "4-star" threshold you would miss out on some absolutely AMAZING hotels and inns. But that's must my humble opinion.

Always remember: The rating systems are bought and paid for...by the hotels.

 

[Florida Cracker]

My wife and I used to bring our Lhasa along with us on every trip but Never left her in the room alone. We would lock the car, leave it running and she had the AC to keep her comfortable.
After about 20 years of this, we bought an RV and let her and the other one we picked to be company for her, in the comfort of the coach.
I guess we go both ways on this poll.

 

[westslopeco]

When we travel with our dog, we seek out pet friendly hotels. However, most places that we stay do not allow you to leave your pet in the room unattended, which I agree with, because a dog alone in an unfamilar place will most likely bark or engage in destructive behaivor. Perhaps you should institute this policy.

 

[GMascelli]

My wife and I used to bring our Lhasa along with us on every trip but Never left her in the room alone. We would lock the car, leave it running and she had the AC to keep her comfortable.
After about 20 years of this, we bought an RV and let her and the other one we picked to be company for her, in the comfort of the coach.
I guess we go both ways on this poll.

+1

Try and offer a local kennel in proximity to your place.

Mary and I always boarded our dog when we traveled. However, since we purchased a motor home that we park for the season at the beach, we now fly back and forth with her. She sleeps while we're out, or watches the tv, maybe a bark or two if she hears the kids close by screaming. Our RV PArk neighbors said she very good. We also walk the crap out of her to make sure she's tired. It doesn't take much for an 8 yr old mastiff to be whooped and needing more sleep.

We tend not to stay at pet friendly places. People dont always pick up after their pet and they let them bark at all hours. Besides, not sure how clean the places are and don't need to take anything extra home.

 

[Matthew]

hmm - I typed up a response a couple hours ago, but must not have posted it.

I'm with GaryM - maybe you can make a deal with a local kennel.

If it's getting to be a problem for you, then it is probably already a problem for guests.

I don't travel with pets, and I don't even check if the hotel is pet friendly anyway. If it IS, then I hope pets are limited to specific rooms and it sounds like that's the way you do it.

As a non-smoker, I wouldn't want to be surprised by getting a room that is a smoking room, and as a non-pet-taker-alonger I'd rather not get a room where pets normally stay. As long as there are no surprises, and no animal noises, from people or otherwise, then you probably won't get complaints from me.

 

[Jay Honeck]

As a non-smoker, I wouldn't want to be surprised by getting a room that is a smoking room, and as a non-pet-taker-alonger I'd rather not get a room where pets normally stay. As long as there are no surprises, and no animal noises, from people or otherwise, then you probably won't get complaints from me.

Well, it's not always possible to keep non-pet owners out of our pet-friendly rooms.

Tonight is a perfect example. We were totally, 100% dead Thursday and most of Friday, due to the severe weather nearby. (Strangely, people don't want to come to a beach community when it's storming. Who knew? )

Today has been INSANE. I've probably turned away a dozen people who have walked UNDER our "NO VACANCY" sign, just to make SURE that we really had no open rooms! (Yeah, I always keep an "extra" room in my hip pocket, right? ) Worse, three pilots have called us from the airport, and we have had to give them the bad news: We're full up.

The last three people who booked did not have pets. Not surprisingly, the last three rooms available were pet-friendly rooms. So...they are in them.

Now, can I guarantee, with 100% assurance, that there is NO dog hair or odors in these rooms when the humidity is nearly 100%? Of course not. It's no different than a smoking room.

And THAT is where bad on-line reviews come from...

As we've remodeled, we have made the new rooms all "no-pet, non-smoking" rooms. If we continue this pattern, by this time next year we will be a "no pet" property. That's probably the direction we're heading, given all the headaches this is causing...

 

[timwinters]

My Shepherd goes everywhere with me and we have never created an issue but i've heard some absolute horror stories from owners of pet friendly hotels. My dog is never left behind in a room.

It's another case of the irresponsible screwing it up for the responsible.

Charge a $250 deposit and/or don't let anyone pay cash so you can ensure you have their CC # and have in the pet agreement that they will pay for ALL damages.

As an aside...

I've been to hotels that only allow small dogs...a 25 or 30 pound weight limit. I always joked with them that this should be the minimum weight and not the maximum. I've traveled A LOT and have found that it's typically the small dogs that bark the most (because they tend to be more nervous overall) and they tear up the most stuff.

Besides, a dog that's not big enough to drink out of the toilet just ain't worth havin' !!!

 

[John Baker]

Jay, remember that the more rules you have, the more your chances of offending someone improve.

It's like the old beach sign that had a mile long list of everything that was against the law:

No overnight sleeping
No alcoholic beverages
No glass containers
No oversize beach umbrellas
No dogs
No throwing any objects, such as balls or Frisbees
No fires.
No BBQ stoves.
No running
No swimming in unauthorized areas.
No reveling swim attire.
No tobacco
No drugs
No cameras.

It is YOUR beach, enjoy it.

-John

 

[Jay Honeck]

My Shepherd goes everywhere with me and we have never created an issue but i've heard some absolute horror stories from owners of pet friendly hotels.

It's another case of the irresponsible screwing it up for the responsible.

Charge a $250 deposit and/or don't let anyone pay cash so you can ensure you have their CC # and have in the pet agreement that they will pay for ALL damages.

I'd love to, Tim, but pet damage can be quite innocuous, as outlined above.

Here's another example of how being pet friendly can be costly: When we opened here two years ago, we were unfamiliar with a certain type of critter called "sand fleas". They live in the sand at the beach, apparently, and get on virtually every dog that plays in the sand. (And what dog doesn't LOVE to roll in the sand?)

Traditional flea control from the veterinarians will prevent the fleas from taking hold on the dog -- but that WON'T prevent the fleas from laying eggs in the dog's fur. (And the store-bought "flea collars" have NO effect on sand fleas at all.)

Fast forward six hours. Fido is now sleeping contentedly on the floor at the foot of the bed, whilst their owner is snoring away. Or, better yet, Fido is sleeping WITH his owner, in the bed. When Fido rolls over, off come some of the eggs....

Traditional vacuuming MIGHT get them out of the carpet. Then again, it might not -- and all it takes is to miss a few. Now you've got a situation where the eggs hatch -- 3 days later! Suddenly, I've got a VERY ****ed off guest, complaining about "bugs in the room".

So....here's what we do now. After a pet's owner checks out, we take the room "off-line". We sprinkle Borax powdered detergent heavily over the carpet, and let it sit overnight. This kills ANY insect eggs.

The next day we vacuum up the mess, and start over. It is VERY time-consuming and expensive (especially since we can't turn the room around in less than a day), but it's the only safe way we know of to make sure the rooms are free of pet-borne bugs.

So...how can we charge the owner for this sort of expense? We charge $25/night, per dog. It covers our costs...mostly.

Another expense is urine. The owner will wipe it up, and we'll spray it with a treatment spray -- but guess what? It gets into the subfloor, and when the humidity gets high, you might get a whiff of it -- three months later. So how do we charge for THAT?

It's a real conundrum.

Ironically, I'm putting ceramic tile in all of our new rooms -- which are NOT pet friendly...

 

[Dr. O]

Hmmm, we never had a dog until 11 years ago... Now he goes with us everywhere, boat, plane, car... He is family...
I can't say that we would avoid non friendly motels otherwise, because we don't travel without him these past 11 years - but probably we will avoid such if and when we do travel sans canine...

It is a tough call Jay - only you can make that decision...

 

[Jay Honeck]

Jay, remember that the more rules you have, the more your chances of offending someone improve.

It's like the old beach sign that had a mile long list of everything that was against the law:

No overnight sleeping
No alcoholic beverages
No glass containers
No oversize beach umbrellas
No dogs
No throwing any objects, such as balls or Frisbees
No fires.
No BBQ stoves.
No running
No swimming in unauthorized areas.
No reveling swim attire.
No tobacco
No drugs
No cameras.

It is YOUR beach, enjoy it.

-John

That's great, John!

That's also one of the greatest things about our 25 miles of beach. Here, we have nearly total freedom.

Want to burn something? Go ahead! Just try not to start your truck on fire. Smoke 'em if you've got 'em -- and don't worry about drinking, cuz everyone else is doing it, too.

Want to drive on the beach? In my hometown (Racine, WI) that would get you thrown in jail. Here? Drive all you want! Go ahead -- drive into the Gulf, if you want! We'll call the tow truck.

About the only thing you can't do on the beach is shoot. I'm sure there's a bill in the legislature trying to legalize THAT, too.

 

[jhausch]

Today, we travel mostly by the airlines and our (heaven sent, dog loving) neighbor watches our two dogs when we are gone. We have an auto dog door which he turns on in the morning and off in the evenings and they have the run of a fenced yard all day.

When we drive, if we can, we bring the dogs. (they are 40-45lbs each). We NEVER leave the dogs alone in the hotel. The idea of a nearby kennel or dog sitter is an AWESOME idea (assuming the kennel is not a $h!t hole).

A big hope of ours is to have our own plane and travel with the "whole family" more frequently. I've avoided partnerships and clubs for the simple reason of not wanting to tick off any persnickety co-owners with the errant dog hair. We're not pigs, but I don't want to be "that guy".

For a small hotel like yours, if I did not know you from this forum, I'd be very worried about a high deposit. Since I "know" you (and since I know our dogs), I'd gladly pay the small extra fee and put down the deposit. If I did not know the owner, I'd likely do as much Trip-Advisor type research as possible to make sure I was not giving that deposit away.

I hope you can figure something out.

 

[alfadog]

I love dogs. My handle is alfa (for Alfa Romeo, I've owned a dozen or so) and dog (for my dear departed Bear sticking his head out of the window of my Alfetta GT at 117 mph, a personal best).

That said, I almost never travel with my dog(s). I have had a dog in a hotel room with me a total of once in a long life with dogs and a lot of hotel rooms.

I do not "actively" avoid a hotel that allows dogs but if you gave me a choice, I would take one that does not. I love dogs - does not mean I am going to love yours or that I am going to love finding some residue in the room or on the walkway or ...

So I voted no.

 

[Doggtyred]

Jay.. as a pet owner, and one who considers himself a responsible pet owner, I would have no problem with you dispensing with the hassle altogether and going pet-free. Your headaches are being caused by the idiots among us... and is very likely costing you money (especially when you cant quick turn a room)...

I hope you are allowed to post responses on trip advisor to complaints of this sort....

 

[Old Geek]

I wished I had some advice for you. I'm also a dog-lover and have owned a dog most of my life. A marvelous Goldendoodle is sleeping at my feet as I type. That said, I'd never leave my dog alone in a motel room. I've seen the damage (twice) that a dog can do to a room when he wants to get out. It's not pretty. You have to do what you have to do. Don't feel badly about it.

 

[AdamZ]

We are struggling with our pet policy at the hotel, and hope you guys can give us some insight on what to do. We love dogs -- we own and love one -- but it is rapidly becoming a major PIA allowing animals into our hotel.

Please vote in the following poll, and any comments you may have are welcome.

Thanks!

Don't need to vote Jay that fact that you say its a PIA is enough!

 

[mikea]

The dog has stayed in motels at each Gaston's trip. One had policy that you had to stop by the desk for a room inspection when checking out - I think that got you a deposit back.

The room might have some wetness on the rug, but it's gonna be clear water from the water dish the same as what would drip off a human with less than perfect shower habits. My dogs are well trained and well-behaved grown-ups.

 

[John Baker]

That's great, John!

That's also one of the greatest things about our 25 miles of beach. Here, we have nearly total freedom.

Want to burn something? Go ahead! Just try not to start your truck on fire. Smoke 'em if you've got 'em -- and don't worry about drinking, cuz everyone else is doing it, too.

Want to drive on the beach? In my hometown (Racine, WI) that would get you thrown in jail. Here? Drive all you want! Go ahead -- drive into the Gulf, if you want! We'll call the tow truck.

About the only thing you can't do on the beach is shoot. I'm sure there's a bill in the legislature trying to legalize THAT, too.

And there you have your answer Jay. The one single thing that makes your beach appealing is its lack of rules. Think of your hotel as being part of the beach, keep your rules to the barest minimum needed to maintain a nice hotel for everyone.

-John

 

[John Baker]

Perhaps you could limit a small portion of your hotel for pet owners, with a reservation required. I don't know much about the hotel business, so all I'm doing is guessing.

Build a small pet hotel somewhere on your property. People would pay for that service if they thought their pets were getting something special while they could relax and enjoy themselves. Something like a fancy boarding service. Hire people, perhaps college kids, to walk and entertain the dogs. Dog grooming etc.

-John

 

[kyleb]

We have dogs. We love dogs - ours and others. We don't travel with them.

I don't mind if there are dogs in the hotel, but I don't want to rent a room where others' pets have slept. I know how worthless some people can be and can only imagine the accidents that wouldn't be reported or noticed.

Also, I'm very allergic to cats, so I don't want any of those around anyway.

So, for me, I'd like to be able to rent a pet-free room.

 

[jesse]

My 80 lb black lab very very rarely barks. He most certainly does not destroy things in a house. He never chews on anything that's not one of his designated toys. He has never had an issue with house training. He can go 12 hours no problem without going outside.

But he does shed. And it's hard to stop completely.

All of that said..I very rarely travel with him. He's just too large and I don't want to leave him places without me there. If I can't make it there in one days driving he won't be coming.

I'm still kind of undecided about bringing him to Gastons. Mostly because I don't want tons of dog hair ending up in a rented/borrowed airplane.

 

[Jay Honeck]

Don't need to vote Jay that fact that you say its a PIA is enough!

Hell, Adam, dealing with human guests is a PIA sometimes too. But I can't do away with THEM, can I?

If I got rid of everything that was a PIA, why, we'd be no different than the Patel Palace down the street, providing minimum service for the maximum buck. I don't mind a little PIA with pets, but I DO want to make sure that the PIA is worth it.

The Question of the Day is: "Am I actually driving more business away than I am earning by being 'pet friendly'?"

 

[Jay Honeck]

We have dogs. We love dogs - ours and others. We don't travel with them.

I don't mind if there are dogs in the hotel, but I don't want to rent a room where others' pets have slept. I know how worthless some people can be and can only imagine the accidents that wouldn't be reported or noticed.

Also, I'm very allergic to cats, so I don't want any of those around anyway.

So, for me, I'd like to be able to rent a pet-free room.

You have touched on yet ANOTHER touchy pet subject: Allergies.

I, too, am deathly allergic to cats. In fact, I am as allergic as a human can be, according to the "scratch tests" that almost killed me two decades ago.

Occasionally we get the stray guest who succeeds in sneaking their pet into a non-pet friendly room -- and gets caught. (Usually when we deliver breakfast outside their door, and the pet "woofs" or snuffles at the door.) After physically preventing Mary from ripping their eyes out with her fingernails, we then assess them a $200 fine, and summarily escort them off the property.

But that's when the fun really begins. A room that is NOT "pet friendly" must be "hypo-allergenic" for people like you (and me) who break out in hives, or worse, in the presence of animal dander. This means an incredibly extensive room treatment, involving wiping down all the walls with a sudsy ammonia treatment, shampooing the carpets, steam-cleaning the mattress and box spring, blah blah blah. It is an ENORMOUS pain in the butt.

I especially love it when they go home and dispute the charge with their credit card company. That's when the fun really gets rolling for me -- and the bogus "cockroaches in the coffee pot" threats of bad "reviews" begins. There have been times when I wished I had let Mary just kill them, and deal with the resulting paperwork.

 

[Jay Honeck]

Perhaps you could limit a small portion of your hotel for pet owners, with a reservation required. I don't know much about the hotel business, so all I'm doing is guessing.

Build a small pet hotel somewhere on your property. People would pay for that service if they thought their pets were getting something special while they could relax and enjoy themselves. Something like a fancy boarding service. Hire people, perhaps college kids, to walk and entertain the dogs. Dog grooming etc.

-John

Great idea, John, except I don't know anything about the kennel business. I suspect it's quite a complicated endeavor in and of itself.

Between that, and the impossibility of finding staff to work it (there certainly aren't any natives who want to do that sort of work. This summer we're bringing girls over from Poland to work at the hotel; last year it was Russian girls; our first year here it was Mongolians), I don't think I want to go down that road.

 

[Badger]

What percent of your occupancy is from pet rooms? If its under 5%, and the result is unfavorable ratings on trip advisor, I'd eliminate the pet rooms, they are not worth the expense/exposure.

 

[Brad Z]

We travel with our Jack Russell quite frequently...one of the benefits of having your own plane is bringing your pooch. I seek out non chain hotels like yours because they are more accommodating to pets. A couple thoughts:

1) no pets in rooms without owners present. Perhaps an exception for crated dogs (which ours is), for short periods like dinner. Key a few extra crates on hand ($40 at Walmart) for guest who don't have them.
2) designate a dog run area that is fenced in, if you have the space.
3) I think people are generally not turned off by pet accommodating hotels as long as they know that only certain rooms are designated for pets.
4) partner with a pet services business that does walking, boarding, etc., so that you have an option to present a customer who's dog isn't working out. Shouldn't cost you a dime.
5) I prefer higher deposits and lower pet fees, because I know my dog is pretty low MX. Not all dogs are though, so I understand the need to recoup. It might just be a training issue to have your staff look for evidence. A quick digital video after each stay can be helpful in reviewing for damage.

6) Put a positive spin on the pet fee for the pet rooms: charge more for the room and build the fee into the room rate: it's a pet suite. If non pet owners need the room, offer them a "discount".

7) Set up a dog wash. It might cut down on dirty sandy dogs in rooms, and serve as an additional amenity for dog owners.

That's all I can think of...
2) get rid of the carpet in the pet rooms. Tile is much easier to clean.

 

[Jay Honeck]

What percent of your occupancy is from pet rooms? If its under 5%, and the result is unfavorable ratings on trip advisor, I'd eliminate the pet rooms, they are not worth the expense/exposure.

That's a good question. I'll have to see if Mary can crunch that number from our database.

As for the TripAdvisor thing, I would hope that anyone reading a review from a pet owner who is whining about having to abide by the hotel rules would realize that they are complete idiots -- but perhaps I am over-estimating the public.

I've sent TripAdvisor a "management response" to the review, clarifying our pet policy and outlining how we won't be changing it one iota from how we applied it to these guests. We'll see if they accept it.

 

[John Baker]

The pet hotel concept out here in Calyfornia is actually quite a bit different than a kennel operation. They have all the amenities of a people hotel, almost. "Rooms" with furniture they are allowed to sit on, toys, etc. A common area were dogs can interact, and usually a yard area. Grooming salons, all kinds of fancy stuff.

It is a business that does stay busy pretty much year round. People travel and they want someplace great to leave their dogs. It's like the Hilton of Kennels. They also have ones set up for cats as well.

People will actually do some traveling to bring their pets to such places.

I can't blame you for not wanting to get into it, you'd be running two hotels.

-John

 

[Everskyward]

People will actually do some traveling to bring their pets to such places.

I know at least one of them. Here is an example of the policies used by a pet-friendly hotel in Mendocino, CA which is also a beachfront location.

http://www.maccallumhouse.com/pages/pets.html

 

[Jay Honeck]

I know at least one of them. Here is an example of the policies used by a pet-friendly hotel in Mendocino, CA which is also a beachfront location.

http://www.maccallumhouse.com/pages/pets.html

If I charged $180 - $400/night, I could afford to provide our guests with pet sitting services, too. And a free car wash, dinner, and a movie.

However, our rates are from $80 to $180. The motel market here does not support those kind of rates, although some of the larger condos can and will charge that sort of price for peak weekends.

 

[silver-eagle]

That's a good question. I'll have to see if Mary can crunch that number from our database.

As for the TripAdvisor thing, I would hope that anyone reading a review from a pet owner who is whining about having to abide by the hotel rules would realize that they are complete idiots -- but perhaps I am over-estimating the public.

I've sent TripAdvisor a "management response" to the review, clarifying our pet policy and outlining how we won't be changing it one iota from how we applied it to these guests. We'll see if they accept it.

If there are a couple of whiners, like movie critics, you can pretty much ignore them. Like an internet forum, facebook, and twitter, everyone feels they have a right to post anything they want. And you have to know that for every gripe, there's dozens that are more than satisfied.
I don't put a lot of weight in opinions.
That said, the person I travel with has always taken one of her cats with us. Did so for 20 years before I came along. She is very responsible, keeps the litter box in a large trash bag so most of the litter isn't spread around, takes it with us when we leave, keeps the cat well fed, and full of water. I believe we've spent upwards of $100 unrefunded pet fee for a one night stay.
If you travel with a pet, you sort of have to plan on it. Pet friendly places are hard to find and we've driven well out of our way for one.
I have three dogs. At $20 a dog a night in a kennel, if I don't have a relationship with them, my dogs aren't staying there. Then again, I'm not traveling with 300 pounds of dog either.

 

[Hiperbiper]

Though I love all animals we don't travel with them so my vote is for a "No Pets" sign at your establishment.

A simple "Pros vs. Cons" workup would have:
Pro:
A small % of potential customers would be thrilled.

Con:
A large % of non-pet owners are less than thrilled by barking and poop. They are after all on vacation...this they get at home...
Indoor maintaince costs. Present and future.
Outdoor maintiance costs.
Billing troubles and CC disputes.
Internet exposure due to pet/owner problems are just another negative to be posted vs. the "yet another place that won't accept animals"...common complaint.

We run everything from Truckstops to Section 8 housing and across the board we have a policy against pets.

Not because the pets are destructive and irresponsible.
Because the owners are stupid and irresponsible. Not all, just enough.


Chris